Paper retaining devices for files



April 2, 1963 A. MEURER 3,083,713

PAPER RETAINING DEVICES FOR FILES Filed April 2, 1958 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 2, 1963 A. MEURER 3,083,713

PAPER RETAINING DEVICES FOR FILES Filed April 2, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inks/V724,

Ab /'60 Nebiev Wshson, Cole, G-vmMe, q WETEQN flffawve/s 3,083,713 PAlER RETAINEJG BEVIQES F012 FEES Alfred Math-er, Bonn, Germany, assignor to F. Seenneclaen, Bonn, Germany, a German lrommanditgesellschaft riled Apr. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 725,894 2 Claims. (6i. 129-11) The invention relates to paper retaining devices for files and is particularly though not exclusively concerned with a paper retaining device for letter files, comprising a base plate with fixed threading-on pins and pivotable loc. g hoops which are connected together by a swivel pin which is cranked in shape in the manner of a crankshaft, and which are acted upon by a leaf spring, and a pressure lever which, when pressure is exerted in the direction towards the base plate, acts on the cranked portion of the swivel pin.

In the conventional paper retaining devices, the pivoting movement of the locking hoops is brought about by a toggle lever which is rotatable about an axis above the cra 'ed portion, and whose shorter lever arm, when the relatively long lever arm extending laterally near the filed papers is depressed, presses the cranked portion downwardly by means of a roller in opposition to the action f the leaf spring. In this operation, the said relatively short lever arm moves beyond a dead centre position and thereby holds the operating lever and thus also the locking hoops fast in the closed position. In order to open the device, it is necessary to put ones finger below the operating lever and lift same, in order to move the relatively short lever arm back beyond the dead centre position again until the leaf spring can come into action and lift the cranked portion together with the operating lever, whereby the locking hoops are brought into their opened position. A relatively large force is required both for depressing and also for lifting an operating lever of this kind. Also, difficulties occur when lifting the lever if the letter file is filled with a relatively large quantity of papers, since in such a case there is little space available between the lever and the stacks of paper at each side of it for the operators fuiger.

An object of the invention is to obviate the disadvantages of this known device md in addition to simplify the said device and make it easier to operate.

lccordin' to the present invention there is provided a paper retaining device for a file comprising paper retaining means, a hand operable member adapted to be moved in one sense from an open position to a closed position and thereby to move said paper retaining means against a biasing force from an open position in which the papers can be extracted from said retaining means to a closed position in which the papers are retained by said retaining means, means for locking said retaining means in the closed position, said locking means being adapted to be released by movement of said hand operable member in a sense substantially at right angles to said one sense.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the hand operable member is constituted by a pressure lever, the locking means comprises a catch provided on the lever which engages with m opposing catch on a base plate when the lever is moved into the closed position, and disengagement of said catches is effected by movement of the lever in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction in which the lever is moved for closing of the paper retaining means.

According to a particularly simple form of embodiment of the invention, the catch of the pressure lever is arranged between the pivot thereoi and a pressure key arranged on the free end of the pressure lever, but in the region of the base plate of the device. The pressure lever itself is so constructed or arranged that it is movable m p d Apr, 2, 1963 elastically laterally, transversely to its longitudinal axis", with respect to the stationary opposing catch carried by the base plate. For this purpose, the said lever is preferably mounted so as to be elastically movable parallel to its pivot, being, for example, fastened so as to be elastically movable or arranged on an elastically movable bearing plate.

The pressure lever catch and the stationary opposing catch may be constructed in various ways. In a particularly simple embodiment the catch consists of a projection which is punched out from the vertical side web of the pressure lever and is bent out laterally obliquely upwards, whereas the opposing catch is formed by an opening or recess in a catch plate which is punched out of the base plate and is bent vertically upwards. The projection and the recess or opening are so dimensioned that in the closed position of the pressure lever the projection can enter the opening under the action of the elasticity of or due to the efiect of the elastic mounting of the pressure lever, and engage the upper inner edge of the recess. The projection could of course also be arranged, vice versa, on the stationary catch plate, cooperating with a recess or an opposing projection on the pressure lever.

The paper retaining means preferably comprises threading-on pins mounted on the base plate, and locking hoops pivotally mounted on said base plate for movement together from an open position in which the ends thereof are out of engagement with the ends of the threading-on pins to a closed position in which the ends thereof are in engagement with the ends of the threading-on pins. 'ihe locking hoops are connected by a member which pivots therewith and which has a cranked portion offset from the pivotal axis and acted upon in one sense by a spring providing said biasing force and in the opposite sense by said pressure lever.

The pressure lever is then provided with a pressure surface which acts from above on said cranked portion, and which according to one simple form of embodiment con sists of a lug bent over at right angles to the vertical side web of the pressure lever.

The lever arm of the pressure lever which is provided at its end with the pressure key is preferably so long that the key lies between the lower edge of the file and the lower edge of the threaded-on paper. As a result of this arrangement, the pressure key is not only easily accessible from above, but can also be operated from the side freely and unhindered, in order to displace the pressure lever laterally for the purpose of disengaging the catches from one another. The pressure key is conveniently flattened at the side on which pressure is applied for the disengaging movement.

A device according to the present invention is not only extremely simple and cheap to construct, but also has the advantage that it can be both closed and opened with application of little force. Closing can be carried out by pressing down the pressure key, and little force is required for this owing to the long lever arm. For opening the device, all that is required is the application of lateral pressure to the key end of the pressure lever, to lift the pressure lever catch out of the opposing catch, whereupon the spring opens the locking hoops. Also it is not necessary to introduce the finger between the stacks of paper.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view from above of the paper retaining device in the closed condition, with the file cover broken away,

FIGURE 2 is a view of the device in the closed condition, as seen from the side of the locking hoops,

FIGURE 3 shows the device in the opened condition as seen from the side of the locking hoops,

' FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the device in the closedcondition, taken on the line AB of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the device in the opened condition, taken on the line C-D of FIGURE 3.

In the illustrated paper retaining device, two fixed threading-on pins 3 are disposed in the usual way on a base plate 1 which is fixed on a file base panel 2, which is illustrated in fragmentary fashion. Cooperating with the threading-on pins 3 are two movable locking hoops 4 which are connected together by a swivel pin 6 formed with a cranked portion 5. The swivel pin 6 is rotatably mounted in two hinges 7 which are punched-out and rolled from the baseplate'l. A leaf spring 8 fixed on the base plate 1 presses from below against the cranked portion 5 and tends to move the locking hoops 4 into their opened position.

Thisopening movement is opposed from above by a pressure lever 9, The L-section pressure lever 9 is rotatably mounted about a pivot pin 11 on a bearing plate which ispunched-out from the base plate 1 and bent over vertically upwards. The relatively short lever arm of the pressure lever 9 for-ms an abutment 12 which, when the pressure lever is in the highest position i.e. in the open position of the threading-on device, bears against the base plate 1 and limits the upward movement of the pressure lever. The longer lever arm of the pressure lever 9 extends in the longitudinal direction over the lower half of the file baserpanel 2 facing the viewer almost as far as the lower edge 13 of the said panel, and carries at its free end a pressure key 14 which is provided at the right hand side with a flattened portion 15. The length of the lever is so dimensioned that the pressure key 14 lies between the threaded-on stack of paper 1'6 which is indicated in chain-dotted lines and the lower edge 13 of the file, in such a manner as to be freely accessible.

At a predetermined distance from the pivot 11, a catch 17 is punched out of the vertical web of the pressure l'ever9 and bent outwards laterally towards the right or out of the vertical plane of the web. Situated near the said catch plate 18 which is punched-out from the base plate 1 and is bent over vertically upwards, and in which is provided a rectangular opening 19. The opening 19 is so dimensioned that the catch 17 of the pressure lever 9 can "enter the said opening and, with its upper edge, engage the upper edge of the said opening 19, when the pressure lever' 9 is released from its lowermost depressed position. The pressure lever 9 is so drawn against the bearing plate 10, eg by the bolt head -20 and the nut 21 of the. 'pivot. pin 11 orby. correspondvertical web of the pressure lever 9 at right angles to the said web, between the pivot pin 11 and the catch 17,-so-that the said lug bears from above on the cranked portion 5 of the swivel pin 6.

'The method in which the threading-on device de- 'scribed-hereinbefore operates will be readily understood. Let it be assumed that the device is in its closed position as illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4. In order to open the device, pressure is applied for example with the thumb of the left hand against the lateral pres- "sure surface 15 of the pressure key 14 in the direction of the arrow illustrated in FIGURE 1, i.e. towards the left. The pressure lever 9 moves by virtue of its resilience towards the left and lifts the catch 17 out of the opening .19 of the catch plate 18. As a result, the

pressure lever 9 is released and lifted by the leaf spring a the locking hoops 4 have been pivoted and brought into 7 4 8. 'Ihedevice moves into the open position illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 5 in which the locking hoops 4 are pivoted and opened. After the papers have been threaded on to the pins 3, a light pressure with the finger on the pressure key 14 is sufficient to depress the pressure lever 9 in opposition to the action of the leaf spring 8 into its lowermost position as shown in FIG- URE 2. In this operation the pressure lever 9 by virtue of its resilience first bends to the left to enable the catch 17 to slide over the upper edge of the catch plate 18. When the catch 17 reaches the opening19 in the catch 18, the catch 17 moves automatically into the opening 19, and the pressure lever 9 becomes locked in this position. During its downward movement, the pressure lever 9 has, with its lateral lug 22-, pressed downwards the cranked portion 5 of the swivel pin 6, whereby their closed position shown in FIGURE 4 in the drawings.

The invention is not of course limited to the emb'odi-' ment hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings, but comprises all modifications which can be made thereto Within the. scope of theessential underlying idea of the invention. More particularly, the cooperating catches and opposing catches could be constructed and arranged. in some other way, without thereby going beyond the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Aloose leaf :binder comprising a base plate with rigid filing pins mounted thereon, arched closing members pivotally mounted on the base plate and connected by a crank-type .ofiset member, a single-armed pressure lever pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot pin on the base plate andacting onsaid oifs'et member, said pressure lever having a web portion with a catch punched out from the web to project therefrom, said pressure lever being movable from a raised position in which said closing members are separated from said filing pins to a position in which said closing meml'wrs are in contact with said filing pins, a lug'm'ember projecting from the web of the lever in contact with the crank-type ofiset, means for locking said pressure lever in said lower position, said locking means comprising thecatch on the said pressure lever between the point at which the pressure lever is pivoted on said fixed pivot pin and the free end of said pressure lever and an opposed stationary catch fixed on the said base plate and having an opening therein to engage with said catch on saidpressure lever when said lever is moved down into the lower position, said pressure'lever being pivotally mounted for transverse movement with respect to said stationary opposing catch carried by said base plate, and a spring secured on the base plate to urge the crank-type offset against the lug member on the lever.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising a base plate with rigid fi-lingpins mounted thereon, arched closing members pivotally mounted on the base plate and connected by a crank-type offset member, a bearing plate on the base plate, asingle-armed pressure lever .pivotally mounted on a fixed pivot pin in the bearing plate and aeting on said offset member, said pressure lever having a web portion with a catch punched out from the web to project therefrom, said pressure lever being movable from a raised .position in which said closing members are separated having an opening therein to engage with said catch on said pressure lever when said lever is'moved down into the lower position, said pressure lever by its web portion in its up and down movement sliding adjacent and parallel to the bearing plate and the stationary catch, said pressure lever being pivotally mounted for elastic transverse movement with respect to said stationary opposing catch carried by said base plate, and a spring secured on the base plate to urge the crank-type offset against the lug member on the lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nester May 27, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 10, 1924 Germany Apr. 2, 1941 

1. A LOOSE LEAF BINDER COMPRISING A BASE PLATE WITH RIGID FILING PINS MOUNTED THEREON, ARCHED CLOSING MEMBERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE PLATE AND CONNECTED BY A CRANK-TYPE OFFSET MEMBER, A SINGLE-ARMED PRESSURE LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A FIXED PIVOT PIN ON THE BASE PLATE AND ACTING ON SAID OFFSET MEMBER, SAID PRESSURE LEVER HAVING A WEB PORTION WITH A CATCH PUNCHED OUT FROM THE WEB TO PROJECT THEREFROM, SAID PRESSURE LEVER BEING MOVABLE FROM A RAISED POSITION IN WHICH SAID CLOSING MEMBERS ARE SEPARATED FROM SAID FILING PINS TO A POSITION IN WHICH SAID CLOSING MEMBERS ARE IN CONTACT WITH SAID FILING PINS, A LUG MEMBER PROJECTING FROM THE WEB OF THE LEVER IN CONTACT WITH THE CRANK-TYPE OFFSET, MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID PRESSURE LEVER IN SAID LOWER POSITION, SAID LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING THE CATCH ON THE SAID PRESSURE LEVER BETWEEN THE POINT AT WHICH THE PRESSURE LEVER IS PIVOTED ON SAID FIXED PIVOT PIN AND THE FREE END OF SAID PRESSURE LEVER AND AN OPPOSED STATIONARY CATCH FIXED ON THE SAID BASE PLATE AND HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN TO ENGAGE WITH SAID CATCH ON SAID PRESSURE LEVER WHEN SAID LEVER IS MOVED DOWN INTO THE LOWER POSITION, SAID PRESSURE LEVER BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FOR TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID STATIONARY OPPOSING CATCH CARRIED BY SAID BASE PLATE, AND A SPRING SECURED ON THE BASE PLATE TO URGE THE CRANK-TYPE OFFSET AGAINST THE LUG MEMBER ON THE LEVER. 